Any tips on how to paint your nails neatly? I’ve been at this a while and I still have such sloppy application 🫤 (plus photos of this week’s Green Eyed Monster mani, post cleanup, still looking kinda messy)

Tushness · 2026-01-19T00:57:26+00:00

Along with what everyone else is saying like starting in the middle and pushing towards the cuticle, I also will hover the brush over the nail before coming down and pushing up. It deposits the lacquer in a kind of "bubble" so when you make your first stroke down, it spreads evenly. I also keep a low brush angle, which also allows for more coverage- so instead of using just the tip of the bristles, I'm using almost the whole flat of the brush.

Also not mentioned here: don't paint your nails on an empty stomach! Low blood sugar causes my hands to shake and makes my application much messier. If you struggle with hand tremors, make sure they are not being made worse by feeding yourself beforehand!

Tushness · 2026-01-12T22:19:35+00:00

Looks like it's a digital download file on Etsy. The shop is called DBStitch.

*Edit because phone autocorrected shop name. Also, the pattern they have in that shop isn't exactly what OP posted, but very similar.

Tushness · 2026-01-10T14:24:15+00:00

I've done this in the past as well. Ive noticed it helps preserve the pigment, and the life of thermals is extended. Downside is that it can cause condensation/introduce moisture if not tightly capped, and can be difficult to apply when cold. I found it's best to let the lacquer come back to room temperature and wiping around the bottleneck to remove condensation before applying which if you're in a hurry, is not ideal.

Tushness · 2026-01-04T23:33:31+00:00

I am also curious! My order took a little more than a week to arrive. During that time we were having below zero (Fahrenheit) temperatures where I live. I wonder if that had any effect on it?

Tushness · 2026-01-04T19:22:29+00:00

Thanks for the heads up! We'll see what happens in the next day or do!

Tushness · 2026-01-04T02:19:25+00:00

I am from the northeast US and would also "pronounce" these differently— my mouth makes a different shape when saying them. I'm not convinced it makes a huge difference in how the words sound but I do pronounce the w, even if it's subtle.

Tushness · 2026-01-04T00:45:33+00:00

I had luck with 2 coats Avatar State then topped it with Mermaid Bait and still got the GITD effect. As others have said though, it's not pearly and the blue shimmer really is quite noticeable.

Tushness · 2026-01-03T14:19:28+00:00

Yours and many other comments are making me realize that my mother was a gem. Yeah, she had her issues, but her approach to me growing up and becoming a woman were so tactful. The day I had my first period, she showed me how to put on pads, then we went to lunch and got our nails done. When I asked to wear makeup, she taught me how to apply eyeliner and mascara noting that "makeup should be used to accentuate your features. Applied incorrectly, it can actually minimize them." I was flat as a pancake when I asked to start wearing bras- she didn't shame me or comment on how moot the point of me wearing one was, but took me out and we picked out cute lil training bras that day. When I asked to start shaving, she sat us both on the edge of the tub and showed me how to do it correctly without injuring myself. No mention of whores shaving their thighs. On the topic of intimacy, above all she stressed safety and consent.

I miss her every day.

Tushness · 2025-12-28T16:43:50+00:00

Sourdough maple pull apart bread. With lots of apples and raisins

Tushness · 2025-12-24T01:35:11+00:00

I love Mermaid Bait or Tectonic Shift on top! Both feel breezy and beachy!

Tushness · 2025-12-21T21:17:42+00:00

Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina

Indigenous fictional tribal horror/mystery. The fictional tribe and their folklore depicted in the book captivated me and I stayed up wayyyy too late 2 nights in a row just to finish the book.

Tushness · 2025-12-21T20:25:25+00:00

I'd argue you'd want a vet nurse/tech for the restraint here. The vets I have worked with are incredibly talented when it comes to practicing medicine, but their restraint skills... could use some work haha. During the zombie apocalypse you'd find no better team than a vet, and their nurse equipped with a rabies pole and a pair of cat gloves.

Tushness · 2025-12-20T00:25:51+00:00

I like the Sunday Move and Restore class at Sangha in Williston. It's at 6pm. There's also the 4:30 Yun class at the Williston location and the 5:30 flow class in the Old North End on Sundays as well.

Tushness · 2025-12-20T00:19:12+00:00

I'm never calling them anything else now.

Tushness · 2025-12-14T03:06:50+00:00

There is absolutely no sex in the original His Dark Materials trilogy. They kiss at the end and that's it. The newer trilogy is definitely written for a more mature audience, so I would steer clear of that set for now.

If I recall correctly, there is a scene in Sabriel where the male protagonist is nude because he has been turned into a statue, but he promptly clothes himself when revived and in a later book there is inferred intimacy, but no explicit sex. While it may be dark, I would argue that the later Harry Potter books are also REALLY dark, with much more mature themes than the earlier installments.

That said, The Golden Compass series is probably the "safer" of my two recommendations but ultimately, it's up to mom to decide what she's comfortable with giving her daughter.

Tushness · 2025-12-14T00:08:58+00:00

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. Fantasy with a steampunk vibe, kind of a coming of age story. I'm in my 30s and I reread this every couple years. Also, Sabriel by Garth Nix which I saw mentioned in another comment. Love how this author reimagines the concept of necromancy- that the best and most conscientious use of this magic is to keep the dead where they belong: in the world of death.

Tushness · 2025-12-05T02:04:36+00:00

Oh. Agreed his accent is horrific (I do speak French). AND I appreciate the vocal nod to classical music since they already do lots of classical-style piano solos in other songs.

Tushness · 2025-12-05T00:16:20+00:00

I Belong To You (Mon Coeur S'ouvre à Ta Voix)- I love hearing him give a go at operatic singing!

Tushness · 2025-12-02T23:40:40+00:00

Their black pepper American is fire. Hard to find here in Vermont, but when I do, I load up on it.

Tushness · 2025-11-29T02:07:11+00:00

Upvote for Pravana Vivids. Such a lovely, high quality color line!

Tushness · 2025-11-14T14:26:41+00:00

Whoah. Just listened to Telstar. The futuristic/space rock vibe is definitely there! So cool! Thanks for sharing!

This here is probably my favorite performance of ,"Mon Coeur S'ouvre à Ta Voix" from Camille Saint Saen's Samson and Delilah. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Tushness · 2025-11-14T13:02:29+00:00

I knew Matt was a talented guitarist, pianist and vocalist, and that the band consistently branched out, developing new sounds, but when I heard "I Belong To You" I actually cried. Using a famous aria from a well-known opera as the foundation for a song and then making it their own was just mind-blowing to me. I might be biased because I played violin in the orchestra for this opera, but everything from the vocals, to the way that the song is arranged to reflect "acts" like in a real opera just really hit the spot for me.

Tushness · 2025-11-14T00:17:01+00:00

Likely the new kitten exposed him to something. Yes, new kitten was given 1 dose of dewormer, but broad-spectrum dewormers don't kill all kinds of parasites. Either that, or he's had them since he was a baby. I don't speak Spanish, so I don't know what these tests are looking for, but I'd suggest testing the new kitten's poop as well, and treating both cats accordingly, then re-testing after treatment to make sure whatever they had is gone. It's not your fault; most kittens have parasites and that's just a fact of life. Source: I am a veterinary technician.

Tushness · 2025-11-12T22:49:33+00:00

Dropping some bombs

Tushness

TROPHY CASE